Hair Loss
 

Some of my hair is nearly as long as Willie Nelson's, most of it isn't; it keeps falling out. Every time I comb my hair (using what used to be called an "Afro" pick comb (7 tines about 2-1/2 inches long and about a quarter inch apart), I come up with a mound of hair.

So much of my hair has ended up on the floor that it wrapped aroung the brush cylinder of the vacuum cleaner and stopped it from turning. My hair is less than half as thick as it was before RSD; probably less than that, my memory of hair past is, like my memory in general; not good.

My hair loss appears to be random throughout my scalp as there are no patches that seem barer than anyplace else, and I'm grateful for that; I don't know what I'd do it it looked like mange.

I "Yahoo'd" hair and learned that we are born with about 100,000 follicles in our scalp, and if you lose one you only have 99,999. Since my hair ranges in length from 1/4 inch to 23 inches its obvious that new hair replaces hair that falls out, and it is definitely falling out since each hair has a root on the end. A very tiny, very dry root with no pithy tissue that is usually found when a hair is pulled out.

I'd say about 25% of the hair that falls out appears to be growing abnormally; most of it sort of rippled, like the old-fashioned ribbons that you could drag your scissors along to make it curl. A small amount is much thicker than the other hairs.

The bottom line is that this is making me very unhappy. I'm what could generously be called "homely" and my hair is my best feature; it also hides my ears. I've tried different shampoos and conditioners; even followed a beautician's suggestion that I leave the conditioner in, wrap my head in a towel and keep dampening the towel to keep the hair moisturized. Nothing worked.

I'll have more to say in a couple days, but before that I'd like to know how many others have these sorts of problems and if you do - or did - what have you tried and what worked?

I've seen posts on hair loss before, so I know I'm not alone in this...Vic

:) Hey Guy,

It's just me, a hairdresser. Their are certain meds. that will effect hair loss. Birth Control is the major one, but I know your not on that.:wink:

In my case I think it's circulation. One thing I push my self to do is message my scalp, try to get in their with the balls of your fingers. Is your scalp tight?

Love, Roz

P.S. It's fine for you to correct me with my spelling.:)

Hello there,
I have found that taking zinc and magnesium supplements have slowed down my hair loss, not quite stopped it but definitely slowed it!

Hi Vicc
 

I have hair down to the middle of my back and haven't noticed any loss. So, it could be your meds. I also read recently, that it isn't good to wrap your head in a towel too long after shampooing. (I can't remember why or where I read that). I have noticed that I don't have to shave my legs everyday when I am having an 'RSD surge'....it just doesn't grow! (which isn't a bad thing! hee hee)
Check with your pharmacist....I think that is the best thing to do.:)

A lot of meds cause hair loss. You might want to google the ones you are on and read up on them. Bill was on blood pressure meds that made him lose his. He never started going gray nor losing his until the last few years. But he did complain about how much he was losing. I read up on his meds for him and told him which ones were causing it.

My hair is doing that curly thing on the ends in area. It just started doing that awhile back. Kind of wierd. It does look like a curly ribbon you would make. I lose a lot of hair at times and I did hear that you lose so many a day, I forgot how many.

I have to have mine thined every time I go in for a cut. They can't believe how much I do have. I go to the same place and it never fells they have to thin it. Mine is down to almost my butt now. Like you my hair is my favorite thing about me.

There are things like Rogaine out there for men and women. They do work, I have seen people that use them.

I don't know if it's part of the RSD or not. Everything else seems to go with it.

Have a good day,
Ada

I know MSM is good for skin, hair and nails - plus a lot of other body & cell functions.
I noticed the changes quite soon.

After my surgery my hairdresser said my hair was in bad shape from the anathesia. But I have also noticed differneces since the sympathetic pain cycle started.

She recommended a vitamin called Hair skin and nails and to shampoo with nioxin shampoo and scalp therapy conditioner.

Hope it helps.

And I think you are beautiful :hug:

Hello Vicc: Years ago I had the same problem. I had to take the brush part off the sweeper and just use the metal pipe because I was losing so much hair and it was stopping the brushes from turning. Like you, it did not fall out in patches but would be all over my pillocase and sheets every morning. I used creams and put a plastic bag over my hair with conditioners on my hair trying to keep my hair.

I found out later that I had hypothyroidism. After being on meds, my hair stopped falling out. You might want to check your thyroid just to be on the safe side. You can take meds to help and you have to take them for the rest of your life.

I hope this helps. Regards, Lil

frank has a very thick head of hair.
 

he has always had thick hair, but now, he needs a haircut every two to three weeks.........his hair is growing like crazy, but it also is getting much thicker on his left arm and hand.......if he were not a red head he would look like an ape...........laffffff

my hair is not as nice as it used to be....no hair loss, but just not shiny like it used to be, and not as soft either.........just kind of 'there'........but like hippyhair, i too don't need to shave my legs like i used to........

good luck vicc, sure hope you get some answers...........a long ponytail huh??? why is it that men can grow their hair much longer than some women...??????